GENERAL CONCEPTS of PSYCHOLOGY

ObjectiveDiscuss the nature of psychologyGoals of PsychologyImportance of PsychologyHistorical Development of PsychologySchools of PsychologyBranches of Psychology

PsychologyEtymological Definition

Psyche – mindLogos – study

-the study of the mind or cognitive processes that underlie human behavior.

Wilhelm Wundt

Psychology is the study of conscious experience.

William JamesPsychology pertains to finding out how

psychological nature helps people adapt themselves to a complex and changing world.

John WatsonAsserts that psychology is focused on the

study of covert (unobservable) and overt (observable) behavior that one can see and can be measured scientifically.

STUDY of BEHAVIOR and MENTAL PROCESSES

Psychology pertains not just on what people do.ThoughtsFeelingsPerceptionReasoningMemoriesBiological activities

Psychology tries to explain, predict, modify, and ultimately improves the

lives of the people and the world where they live.

Human Behavior

Stimulus

Response

Internal

External

Physical

mental

glandular

Goal of PsychologyTo describe behavior

This helps one to know what is the nature of behavior

To understand behavior This tries to explain and interpret facts about

behavior.

To predict behavior This will make one observe how the person who met

the accident behaves in the future.

To Control Behavior This is achieved after describing, understanding

and predicting behavior.

Importance of Psychology1. It makes a person fully aware that no two

individuals are exactly alike.2. It makes a person understand that the way to

interpret the environment depends on a number of things. The physiological and psychological structure of the person make him react differently in different situations.

3. It helps one gain deep insights into the significance of many aspect of human desires

4. It helps a person develop himself into a well integrated and happy individual.

Historical Development of Psychology

1. Psychology as a Traditional Belief in Philosophy

During the old days, psychology was based on traditions and superstition. The earliest view of psychology was speculative and metaphysical and related to animism.

ANIMISM - is the belief that everything in the surrounding is inhabited by supernatural being (spiritual being).

Thus, the Greek words, psyche (soul) and logos (study): study of soul.

2. Psychology as Science As science, psychology started only in the latter

part of 19th century when German psychologists and physicists used measurement techniques to study sensation and thus laid the foundation for scientific psychology.

Thus, psychology is defined as a “science of human behavior”.

It is a science because it is systematic and empirical and is dependent on measurement. It also uses scientific method in determining behavior.

3. Psychology in Modern Era Modern psychology started with the opening of

Wilhelm Wundt’s laboratory at the university of Leipzig, Germany in 1879. This event marked the formal birth of psychology as science.

Wilhelm Wundt – Father of Experimental Psychology or Modern Psychology

William James An American philosopher who brought psychology

in America. This made him the first American Psychologist who emphasized “functionalism” in the study of behavior.

Functionalism – concern with the utility of how conscious processes function in the adjustment of man to his environment.

John B. Watson American psychologist who set the direction of

modern experimental psychology .

Schools of Psychology1. Structuralism

Headed by Wilhelm Wundt and Eduard Tichener According to structuralism, human behavior can be

studied through conscious experience. This conscious experiences consist of three elements or structure: sensations, feeling, and images.

Introspection – is the procedure employed in the study of the mind. Here, the subjects are required to describe in detail their experiences while exposed to the stimuli.

2. Functionalism William James Concern with the utility of how conscious processes

function in the adjustment of man to his environment.

Functionalists studied how the mind affects what people do.

3. Behaviorism John Watson and Edward Thorndike Rejected the view of structuralism and

functionalism Behaviorism stressed the importance of learning

the environment and events that shape the behavior.

Behavior can be understood in terms of the stimulus-response formula.

4. Psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud Freud’s theory stated that much of our behavior is

governed by hidden motives and unconscious desires.

Human behavior is influenced by his libido. Libido is a sexual urge (desire) which is hidden or repressed in the unconscious or subconscious mind of an individual. Such repression, especially if longer, results to abnormal behavior and personality disorder and maladjustment.

5. Gestalt Max Weithemer It maintains that behavior is a whole pattern of

organized experience.

“the whole is more than the sum of its part”

Branches of Psychology1. General Psychology

- study the underlying principles of human behavior.

2.Experimental Psychology- studies the process of sensation, perception,

learning and thinking.

3. Developmental Psychology- focuses on the various stages of development

from pre – natal to old age, specifically how people grow and changes throughout the course of life.

4. Educational Psychology- deals with psychological problems in the field of

education and how educational process affects students.

5. Comparative Psychology- investigated the behavioral differences of various

organisms and species to discover similarities and differences between animals and humans.

6. Social Psychology- centers on all aspects of people’s interpersonal

behavior.

7. Industrial – Organizational Psychology- study that deals with the psychology of the

workplace, the employees’ motivation and productivity, job satisfaction and leadership.

8. Environmental psychology- connected with the relationship of people to the

physical environment.

9. Personality Psychology- Is founded on sound individual differences,

characteristics or traits, a persons response to vast range of situation.

10. Clinical Psychology- involves the application of clinical method of diagnosis

and treatments to persons who are severely disturbed and those suffering from emotional and adjustment problems.

11. Cognitive Psychology- study of higher mental processes like thinking,

learning, reasoning, decision making,. Etc.

12. Forensic Psychology- is a division of applied psychology that studies legal

issues like knowing what criteria determine whether an accused person is mentally competent to stand trial.

13. Community Psychology- Focuses on mental health of community.

14. Health Psychology- examines the relationship of psychological factors

and physical illness ore diseases.

15. Counseling Psychology- Concerned wit normal problems of everyday living

and guides the individuals in their normal development.

16. Engineering Psychology- Developing areas in psychology. It is concern with

the development of man – machine system.

17. Consumer Psychology- concern with the buying habits of consumers

and the effects of advertisement to people.

18. Legal Psychology- involves the application of psychology in legal

proceedings

19. Sport Psychology- studies psychological factors in sports and

other exercises.